CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

Contributor Report: Kaori
The following is a list of all ratings and reviews submitted by Kaori. The links below can be used to quickly scroll down to a specific title. Quickly scroll to... Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Tokyo Godfathers Voices of a Distant Star
Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 7 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 2 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Simply put, a masterpiece. Ufotable was absolutely right that this plot arc is better as a movie than as a TV series; this action-oriented and compact storyline needs to be seen all in one sitting, without interruption. From the foreshadowing scene Ufotable added to the beginning of the movie (that wasn't in the manga) to the characterization of Rengoku--in a brief time, letting viewers see various sides of his personality--everything was executed flawlessly. There are no major flaws I can think of; the closest thing is that this movie is divided into two main fights, so it doesn't quite follow the traditional rising action-climax-falling action plot shape one would expect, as just when the first fight has wound down, we find that things aren't over yet. This movie is an absolute expression of Japanese cultural values such as doing whatever it takes to fulfill one's duty. It is also very spiritual with the emphasis on awakening and Tanjiro's need to be awake to reality and accept reality for what it is instead of being beguiled by a pleasant illusion. The ending is absolutely cathartic, with Tanjiro and his friends expressing all the rage and grief that viewers feel. I would go so far to say that if don't agree with what Tanjiro says at the end, you haven't understood the movie. Here are the reasons why: spoiler 1. Rengoku and his mother are correct: he fulfilled his duty, which was to protect the passengers on the train and protect his junior colleagues. 2. Akaza lost because Rengoku fulfilled his objective (above), and Akaza was also unable to achieve his goal of convincing Rengoku to become a demon. 3. Tanjiro is correct, it is cowardly for Akaza to fight only at night and run away in the sunlight. Tanjiro isn't calling Akaza a coward because he thinks Akaza is running from him, Tanjiro. As Tanjiro himself says, it's the humans, who are already at a disadvantage because of their inability to regenerate like demons, who always take the battle to the time that is an advantage for demons, night. You might be saying to yourself, but it's common sense that the demons would fight then because sunlight would kill them. That's true, but it's "cowardly" in the sense that it is base to fight only in conditions that are advantageous to onself. We rarely see demons fighting in conditions like a cloudy day (which we know they can survive because Nezuko did at the beginning) or inside a building during the daytime. If Akaza isn't being a coward, why doesn't he turn around and fight Tanjiro once he reaches the forest? He is under the cover of the trees, so he should be safe from the sunlight there, but instead of turning around and facing Tanjiro, he keeps running. The point isn't that Akaza should come out into the full sunlight (where he'll instantly be burned to death); the point is that by continually taking the battle into conditions that are advantageous to their opponent (nighttime), while additionally having the handicap of being unable to regenerate, the demon slayers are the ones who are showing their nobility and courage. I will also say that it could not possibly have ended in any other way and had the impact that it did. spoilerRengoku is the ultimate noble character. You never know if someone will truly make the ultimate sacrifice of laying down their life for a cause--given a choice not to--unless they actually do it. If Rengoku had survived the battle, we would not have felt his nobility so deeply and viscerally. The fact that Akaza survived the fight makes us feel the untranslatable (but very relatable) くやしい、an "if only" feeling that rends the soul with its anguish and sorrow. This is, actually, the point of the movie, to make viewers feel that feeling. This feeling will fuel the charaters to become stronger in order to avenge Rengoku's death and ensure that it was not in vain. Moreover, in terms of plot, Akaza's survival drives home the enormous difference in power between an upper-six and lower-six demon. Tanjiro and the others may have just defeated one of the Twelve Moon Demons, but Akaza is on a level surpassing that of Rengoku, whose level is so much higher above Tanjiro's that he can't even join in his fight without getting in the way. This establishes a continually increasing sense of danger and difficulty and creates the sense of continual progress as with every major fight the characters face stronger and stronger enemies, which is one of the key things that sets this series head and shoulders above other popular shonen titles. If Rengoku had lived, we would simply have felt vindicated. If they had both died, the movie would have ended with a full stop. The plot of the series as a whole would have reached a temporary stasis. But with Rengoku killed and Akaza surviving, we're overwhelmed with the sense of how much more powerful are the enemies out there that still remain to be faced and defeated. We know how much the characters have to grow to meet these challenges, and we have a powerful driving force to make us want to see them do it. Violence: 7 Demon Slayer TV series and movie alike are rated either TV-14 or R, depending on the platform. I didn't feel the movie's violence level was worse than the first season of the anime, but watching it again, I could understand the R rating, as the entire movie is very combat-oriented and has a lot of violence and blood. Special note: the fact that Spoiler: Tanjiro has to commit suicide inside his dream to wake up from the blood-demon-magic induced sleep may be disturbing to some. Nudity: 1 None. Theological themes: 2 Rate lower than the TV series 1. It does involve blood-demon-magic, but I found the theological themes overall overwhelmingly positive. The value of mental/spiritual awakeness (willingness to accept reality instead of retreating into fantasy), Rengoku's absolute commitment to protecing others and refusal to bow his head to evil for the sake of personal gain, the value of the strong existing to help those who are weaker, etc. Negative themes: 1 Nothing in particular I can recall.
Demon Slayer: Entertainment District Arc (Jump to title) - Overall: 9 - Violence Rating: 8 - Nudity Rating: 3 - Theological Themes: 4 - Other Negative Themes: 3 Review Simply put, it doesn't a whole lot much better than this. The story goes beyond usual shonen fare by having a more meaningful story, which is paced in such a way that there's a continual sense of progress towards the ultimate goal. The characters are enjoyable. The production values are fantastic, and the animation particularly shines, with fluid, fast-paced fight scenes and gorgeous backgrounds. I'll also mention that the music (by Kajiura Yuki) is excellent as usual, with a couple of great songs for the OP/ED. I was a bit surprised that the singer changed (aimer this time instead of LiSA), but after watching the story arc I felt that both aimer's voice and the overall musical feel of the songs could not possibly be a better match for the story, atmosphere, and characters of this story arc. That said, this is an anime based on a shonen manga, and it has some shonen tropes, like characters fighting until it seems like they can't go on, at which point someone else shows up, or they wring even more strength out of themselves than they thought they had in them. This happens multiple times during the battle (which is a long one that spans more than half the story arc). Other than that minor complaint, and the lack of focus on the female characters (again, shonen), this anime is really outstanding. While some people may want to give this anime a skip due to its content level (violence in particular), for those who feel they would be comfortable with the content, it's a definite must-see! Violence/Gore Rating: 8 Though neither the rating of the show nor overall violence level has changed much, subjectively I found there were a few specific acts of violence that really made me wince, moreso than the first season or Infinity Train (movie or TV arc). It's hard to say objectively whether there was more violence than earlier seasons, but I think there was a bit more. There's also a rather strong horror element revolving around an enemy who appears in the last several episodes. I wavered between 7 and 8 for this, but ultimately picked the higher number due to the increased disturbing and horror elements. Nudity/Sexual Content Rating: 3 For an anime arc set in the entertainment district, I thought it was incredibly restrained. Three young boys infiltrate Tokyo's red light district to try to find the whereabouts of the Sound Hashira's wives, but absolutely nothing offensive happens. There's no spying, peeping, or accidentally witnessing the women or girls of the entertainment district changing, bathing, etc. On the other hand, the female demon the characters are fighting for several episodes is extremely scantily-clad. While this is in the context of a battle and isn't exactly a sexual situation, I can't say she isn't sexualized. She works as a courtesan, and there are numerous shots of sexualized parts of her body. Additionally, the women fighting on the Demon Slayers' side also all show quite a bit of cleavage, though they're much more modestly dressed than the demon, Daki. Finally, I'll add a content warning for the cross-dressing of the three boys and the fact that Uzui Tengen has three wives for anyone who may be offended by these themes. Neither of these is shown in a sexual way. The cross-dressing is played for humor, and absolutely nothing sexual is shown between Uzui and his wives. Potentially Problematic Theological Themes: 4 One difference from the other story arcs is that there are a few angry/bitter comments made by some of the characters towards the gods/Buddhas, like "If _____ dies I will never pray to you again!" or an enraged comment by one villain character about Spoiler: wanting to kill all the gods and Buddhas for taking away his one joy in life even though he never had anything good happen to him. Other than that, it's largely the same as the first season. I'll repeat my comments that while the Blood Demon Art used by the demons (including Nezuko) is indeed magic, the sword techniques used by the Demon Slayers is more an artistic interpretation of a breathing technique that pushes human abilities to their limits and doesn't need to be interpreted as "magic" per se. Also, like in the first season, there are numerous references to non-Christian religion and worldview, like praying and making offerings to deceased family members, references to the afterlife and being reborn, family members who passed away coming back to help and advise Tanjiro and Nezuko in moments of crisis, and some brief passing references to Buddhism and Shinto. Other Potentially Problematic Themes: 3 The version I watched (Crunchyroll) seemed to have more profanity than earlier story arcs in the English translation. Although it occurs more frequently, it tends to be on the mild end of the spectrum. Some courtesans are briefly shown holding smoking pipes. Some flashback scenes briefly show a child being physically abused.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Jump to title) - Overall: 10 - Violence Rating: 7 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 3 - Other Negative Themes: 2 Review The plot revolves around a young man, Tanjiro, whose entire family was killed except for his sister, who turned into a "demon" (oni). He sets out to become a demon slayer to take revenge on the demon who killed his family and, more importantly, find a way to turn his sister back into a human. At its heart, this is the story of someone who is willing to go through any amount of hardship and sacrifice for the sake of the person who's important to him, his sister. And though from the summary it might sound like this anime is about a journey of vengeance, the main character is possessed of an enormous amount of forgiveness and compassion. This extends even to the demons whom he kills: demons were once humans, and though when they become demons they forget their humanity and forget about the people who were important to them when they were human, in their dying moments, they recall those things, and usually are carrying an enormous burden of sorrow and pain. So, despite the large amount of violence in this anime, overall I find that the themes are very positive (having compassion for anyone who regrets what they did; forgiving and not holding grudges; doing whatever it takes to help your family). Finally, the storytelling, animation, and music are all excellent; I really cannot recommend this anime highly enough. Specifics about content ratings: Violence: 7 Toss-up between 6 and 7 on this one. This anime revolves around things like demons which eat humans to get stronger and deadly fights between demons and demon slayers. Overall, there's quite a bit of blood and violence. That said, I found that frequently, the show portrayed the violence that happens in an understated way (e.g. showing silhouettes instead of the full scene, showing the scene or a portion of the scene after a murder occurs rather than showing the murder as it is happening, etc.) However, there are a few times in the show where the violence is shown in an extremely gruesome way, and this always happens revolving around the main villain of the series, emphasizing his cruelty. Nudity: 1 There is a prominent male character who habitually goes shirtless. There's also one female character who shows a large amount of cleavage, which is deliberately emphasized (the "element" she represents is erotic love), but in the first season she is a minor character who only appears briefly in a few episodes. Finally, there is one male character in one scene whose clothes are dissolved and who is naked, but this is played for humor and only his upper body is shown, briefly. Theological themes: 3 I'm going to spend a bit of time here giving a detailed explanation of some themes that might seem theologically troubling. "Demons": The "demons" in this series are actually "oni," a Japanese mythological creature more like an ogre. The interpretation of them is rather dark in this show, so I can understand why they chose to translate it as "demon," but they have absolutely nothing to do with the demons and angels of Christianity (there's a different Japanese word for that, "akuma," which is not what these are). Sword techniques used by the demon slayers: I confirmed my impression with a Japanese friend, and basically, these should not be considered magic. It's more like the characters learn to bring out the utmost potential of the human body through meditation and breathing exercises. The elements that are shown (water, lightning, etc.) are more there as a symbolic thing to give you an idea of what the attack is like: an attack that's fast like lightning, flows like water, etc. Magic used by demons: This, on the other hand, is basically "magic." Although it's used by demons, it's not always used for an evil purpose (there are a few demons in the series who aren't evil), but the fact that it uses blood may be disturbing to some viewers. The dead: The souls of the dead appear and speak to living characters at several times in the series, and the main character also routinely says a prayer for the soul of the demon he has just killed. While not problematic for Catholics/Orthodox, this might be troubling to some denominations of Protestants depending on your views, so it's something to keep in mind if it conflicts with your views about the soul/afterlife. Religion: Eastern religions are portrayed in this anime. The simple funeral rites given by the characters are basically Buddhist. There's some brief but significant portrayal of a Shinto religious dance (kagura). There is also at least one humorous reference to the "spirit (god) of the land," which is a Shinto animistic belief. Other potential problematic themes: 2 As I've said above, I find the themes and messages of this anime overall to be positive and inspiring, and Tanjiro an exemplary character whose example we should all follow. However, there are evil characters and dark themes present, as is generally the case when there's a "good versus evil" battle being portrayed. In particular, the main villain lives up to his given name ("merciless"), and other demons, having lost their humanity, express various cruel and callous points of view and a lack of regard for human life.
Tokyo Godfathers (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 4 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 2
Voices of a Distant Star (Jump to title) - Overall: 7 - Violence Rating: 3 - Nudity Rating: 1 - Theological Themes: 1 - Other Negative Themes: 1 Review Though beautiful, in terms of execution, this is Makoto Shinkai's roughest work. It's like an unpolished gem. However, it's also my favorite, as I find the brevity and open-endedness of it to be like a fine lyric poem. There is nothing extraneous, but it powerfully conveys the characters' loneliness, longing, and a love for the beauty and physicality of life. As the main character says, "I want to be hit by the rain." She wants to experience the beauty of the world viscerally, not just watch. I watched this anime so many times I lost count, and I think I might have cried every time. If you like this, be sure to also check out "She and Her Cat," which has a similar theme of love for the beauty of the world and an attentiveness to the transient beauty that can be found in the present moment, which is very Japanese.
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